1
as in has a fit
to become very angry
she blew up at everybody after a very long and very bad day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in explodes
to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure
the building blew up because of a gas leak
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in shatters
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive
blew up the biggest rocks and then cleared them away
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in cracks up
to praise or publicize lavishly and often excessively
the advertisement blows the new soda up to the point where I half expected to be transported to a higher level of consciousness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blows up
Walter recommends that budding creators parse through their analytics when a video blows up—and warns not to pop the champagne too fast.
—
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 May 2026
As one pipe blows up under their feet, two mercs go motionless and begin to drift away into the void.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Think about movements that happen when a person blows up a balloon.
—Matt Parrott, Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2026
Hunter consistently blows up running plays, ripping right through the interior of college offensive lines.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
For example, his steady job working in a bookstore blows up when it is set on fire and destroyed by those bullies ruling the neighborhood.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2026
Tommy plants the warehouse bomb that blows up the fake British currency.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
The lead blows up, the other team’s fans laugh, roll closing credits.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2026
This, if possible, blows up in her face even more spectacularly than the brunch fiasco.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 May 2026
As one pipe blows up under their feet, two mercs go motionless and begin to drift away into the void.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Think about movements that happen when a person blows up a balloon.
—Matt Parrott, Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2026
Hunter consistently blows up running plays, ripping right through the interior of college offensive lines.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
For example, his steady job working in a bookstore blows up when it is set on fire and destroyed by those bullies ruling the neighborhood.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2026
Tommy plants the warehouse bomb that blows up the fake British currency.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
The lead blows up, the other team’s fans laugh, roll closing credits.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2026
This, if possible, blows up in her face even more spectacularly than the brunch fiasco.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blows up
Verb
-
The Nets might be there to inspire Dillon Brooks snarls.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Everything explodes on a summer day in 1980, when Candy strikes Betty 41 times with an axe following a confrontation.—
Kelsie Gibson,
PEOPLE,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Mendonça Filho invites us to get comfortable in his hometown, our host the earthy and empathetic Marcelo, enjoying its rhythms and culture, before the film explodes in chaotic, confusing violence.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The two commit to a duel, each agreeing to fire their guns when a bottle of champagne rolls off the bar and shatters on the floor.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
1 June 2026
-
This type of error creates friction and shatters trust.—
Jerry Haywood,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Her most recent work feels like a cataclysmic staging of an artist alone in her studio while systems collapse and the country cracks up.—
Jerry Saltz,
Vulture,
25 Dec. 2025
-
During one particularly fun moment shared by the LPGA Tour on Instagram, Clark cracks up at Cunningham's energetic approach to the sport — which ended in her accidentally hitting a fan with the ball.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
13 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The court’s intervention to stop the recount angers Democrats to this day.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
20 Nov. 2025
-
And nothing angers the Survivor gods more than reality TV hubris.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Welcome to the Engineered Dreamscape Placemaking takes empty space and detonates it with story, spectacle and seduction.—
Bob Bonniol,
Rolling Stone,
13 Aug. 2025
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Each bomblet flutters to the ground on fabric drag ribbons and then detonates on impact with enough force to penetrate up to 4 inches of armor or likely injure or kill anyone standing within 4 meters.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
27 Feb. 2019
Verb
-
Kyle Busch smashes a guitar in victory lane!—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
-
The team smashes Vidalia onions directly into the beef to make the patties superthin, then top them with brown mustard, American cheese and pickles.—
Sam Flemming,
AJC.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
On the last day of the festival, TIFF announces the winners of its various awards.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
24 July 2025
-
When a new manufacturer announces plans to locate in a state, the talent pipeline is already being built, not scrambled together after the fact.—
Matt Gandal,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blows up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blows%20up. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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